A man in a black suit stood on the street. His mission was to find a girl who had shown amazing talent in just six months. His orders were to locate her and extract her as a "B-level talent" and bring her back to MOTH.
Even Orion, who was internationally famous, was only labeled as A-level. The fact that this girl, Mei, was rated so highly surprised everyone.
The city he was in now was called Skydrift City, also known as the "Devil's Funeral." The military had sent troops half an hour ago, using everything but nuclear weapons to stop the Herrscher in the city. Below him, a shelter held the few survivors of the city. If the girl survived, she would likely go there.
"Man, what bad luck to be sent to this place," he muttered. He had heard that some of his comrades were sent to Sundown Alley to find the "First Herrscher," but they hadn't been heard from since.
Although his mission was safer compared to the soldiers fighting the Honkai Beasts, he still didn't know when one might appear on this street.
He looked toward the city center. Even though he was miles away, he could feel the sky shake. The dark clouds above looked like they were ready to swallow the city at any moment. He shuddered. It seemed like the girl didn't stand much of a chance of getting here...
Suddenly, two figures—one in white and one in black—appeared in front of him.
---
In Sundown Alley, near Aponia's sanatorium, MOTH soldiers arrived after the initial chaos. They found Orion's location quickly using their gear, but a man blocked their way.
"Take him down!"
Flames scorched the ground as they confronted the masked man. He wasn't armed or trained, but he held off the MOTH soldiers. These were warriors who had fought in other wars, but they couldn't get past him.
No matter what they said, the man, Kalpas, didn't care. He stood like a wall, determined to stop them.
Kalpas didn't understand and didn't care. To him, these soldiers were no different from the thugs he'd fought on the streets before. They all wanted to exploit Orion. When enemies came, he fought them until no one could challenge him.
Kalpas glanced behind him. The constant fighting didn't give him time to check on the person inside. But if that person didn't make it, Kalpas would have to deal with it himself.
"Requesting backup! We have hostages in the house, and there is a strange man blocking the area near the target, so we can't complete extraction right now," a MOTH soldier reported. The orders were clear: they had to bring Orion to the frontlines.
These soldiers admired Orion for the heroic battle in Siberia, and they hoped for another victory. The situation on the front lines was desperate, and they needed a "hero" to lead them.
The soldiers aimed their guns at Kalpas, but he didn't care. The real threat was the red-haired woman behind them. If Orion were there, she'd recognize her: Himeko, with fiery red hair and a large sword glowing with purple light. That glow was the threat Kalpas sensed.
Himeko stared at the house, knowing that MOTH had developed several weapons against the Honkai Beasts.
Unlike unstable guns, cold weapons like Himeko's sword were better suited for handling Honkai energy. However, Fire Moth still struggled with understanding how to use Honkai energy effectively.
The problem was that they lacked the materials to harness enough Honkai energy. Ethical concerns also held them back from advancing dangerous projects like Mobius's "Honkai Fusion Project."
Humanity's arrogance made them think their technology could defeat the Herrscher, just like it had in the past.
---
On some ruins, a young girl stood. Behind her, a giant aircraft carrier, as large as a small town, was stuck in the middle of the city like a huge tombstone. The carrier made sure no one could get close to her.
She laughed sickly, blue energy lines forming angel-like wings behind her, lifting her into the air.
"So fun. It's not much tougher than the toy duck I have in my bath. Right?"
She asked the "person" behind her, but the masked figure didn't respond, standing still like a statue.
"Ugh, so boring."
She pouted. Her lively attitude sharply contrasted with the motionless person behind her. Stretching her arms above her head, her delicate skin and graceful figure were in full display. If not for the wrecked aircraft carrier and grounded fighter jets around her, this scene might have seemed peaceful and beautiful.
"I heard there's a 'companion' nearby," she said with a smirk. "Let's go have some fun with her."
She turned and walked away, followed by a brewing storm.
"Has the defense line been set up?" asked a man with a deep voice. His body was covered in scars, and one ran across almost his entire face, but it didn't take away from his strong, handsome features. His name was Ato.
Ato had been separated from his newborn daughter and had come to the battlefield. He wished he could go home, hug his baby, and be with his wife, but he couldn't. If he didn't hold the line here, all of humanity could be wiped out.
This place was the "Tokyo Defense Front," and he was here because of the terrifying battle report from the front line.
The United Nations had sent five aircraft carrier fleets, nearly ten thousand fighter planes, and even the Aegis missile system, which was the most advanced air defense at the time. But none of it could stop the enemy.
They were fighting "The Herrscher of Wind." She was moving with hurricanes, tearing down buildings and destroying anything in her path. Fighter planes couldn't even get close, let alone hurt her.
Since the United Nations Herrscher Force was taken down, the Herrscher of Wind had been moving straight toward Japan without hiding. Her target was clear, and it seemed connected to the movement of another powerful Herrscher.
This second Herrscher appeared earlier in Skydrift City. When the dark clouds gathered, it was already too late. Skydrift City was swallowed by a force like a black hole. In just thirty minutes, the power in the city and the surrounding areas was completely knocked out. This was the work of the "Herrscher of Thunder."
For the first time, two Herrschers were moving at the same time, and it scared the experts. They were heading in the same direction—towards Mount Fuji, one of the world's most famous active volcanoes.
If the Herrschers caused Fuji to erupt, the volcanic ash could fill the air, block out the sun, and wipe out life. The MOTH, the last defense for humanity, had to stop it.
Japan's government had already given up. Nearby cities had been destroyed, with others following. Honkai Beasts, led by the Herrschers, had already begun sweeping through the major cities on Earth.
Emperor-class Honkai were powerful enough to destroy cities, and at least ten of them were attacking now. But MOTH had no time to worry about anything else. Their mission was to prevent the two Herrschers from meeting.
At the shore, once a busy seafood market, high-tech weapons now stood, ready for battle.
The giant silver cannons there were called "super electromagnetic guns." These sci-fi-like weapons were real, though.
In fact, they were even more advanced versions called "positron electromagnetic guns." They drained huge amounts of power from nearby cities, but they could vaporize anything in their path.
MOTH only had enough power for three shots. If they missed, they'd lose their last weapon that could stop the Herrscher of Wind.
The Herrscher of Thunder was harder to deal with, so MOTH had to use other strategies.
Ato, along with MOTH's elite fighters and Elysia, a newly promoted warrior, stood at the front lines, ready for battle.
"Sister Elysia," someone whispered nervously. It was Dystopia, a young woman with bright orange hair. She hadn't been seen in a while, but now she was back. "Will Orion make it?"
Elysia, with her pink hair blowing gently in the sea breeze, remained calm. She wasn't showing any fear, even in the tense atmosphere. She brushed her hair back and looked toward the horizon.
"Yes," she said simply. There was a quiet confidence in her voice.
"Because the stars are shining brighter than ever right now," she added, her pink eyes sparkling as she stared out into the distance.
As the sun sank below the sea, everyone wondered: would the night bring the end of humanity, or would there still be hope?